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Tuesday, 09 October 2007 |
P A T I E N T E X P E R I E N C E - B R A I N I N J U R Y
NAME: Jessica McAfee
AGE: 22
COUNTRY: USA
DIAGNOSIS: Three years ago, Jessica was involved in a car accident which left her brain damaged. The damage drastically affected her motor functions and ability to speak.
TREATMENT: Umbilical Cord Stem Cell and Nerve Growth Factor Injections with Rehabilitation Therapy. REASON FOR COMING TO TREATMENT: Jessica's ataxia had caused her immense difficulties in movement and she needed a wheelchair to get around, though for small distances she could use a Zimmer frame. She found it very difficult to balance and nearly impossible to stand up unassisted. Her speech was slurred and not fully responsive - she had to think about things before she said them. In addition to this she suffered from stomach ulcers. START OF TREATMENT: 20 August 2007
BEFORE THE TREATMENT: Jessica's right hand experienced uncontrollable violent spasms, as a result she would require assistance from her mother when gripping things, and couldn't use chopsticks. She had muscle weakness throughout the whole body, and found it difficult to stay standing or to walk with a Zimmer frame. Her head used to shake vigourously when she looked around. When she spoke, her voice was weak and speech was slow. WATCH VIDEOS OF JESSICA DURING THE TREATMENT COURSE:
AFTER THE TREATMENT: The shaking in Jessica's right hand improved considerably - towards the end of the treatment, it had all but stopped. It improved so much that Jessica can now use chopsticks, which requires quite precise use of the hand, and a lot of concentration. By the 23rd of August, Jessica acknowledged a small improvement in balance and by the 27th she said she could really notice it. In fact she attempted to walk with a walking stick instead of a Zimmer frame, and looked just as steady. She became able to climb stairs. A week before the end of treatment, Jessica stood up from her wheelchair completely unaided and without gripping anything to steady herself - a sure sign of improvement in her leg muscles. She said she feels, "More sturdy and less shaky!" Her speech improved - she doesn't slur or think about what she is saying as much as before, as you can see in the videos.
WATCH VIDEOS OF JESSICA'S FINAL INTERVIEW:
This video has a large filesize, so the interview is broken into three sections.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 23 December 2007 )
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